Islamic State beheads purported Russian serviceman

Russia’s Defense Ministry denies a report that the Islamic State beheaded one of its servicemen operating in Syria. 

A Russian serviceman operating in Syria was reportedly beheaded by the Islamic State (ISIS) in a video posted online by the terrorist group’s Furat Media outlet.

The 12-minute video was released on Victory Day, which celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany (May 9).

The Russian serviceman, Colonel Evgeny Petrenko, a captain in the second division of the FSB, Russia’s intelligence service, was captured in September of 2016, according to the Islamic State. The man attributed in the video to be Petrenko is dressed in black, kneeling in front of an Islamic State member, believed to be Chechen, against a vast desert background.

The video begins with images of collateral damage the narrator says was caused by Russian forces operating in Syria.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has unequivocally denied the killing of Petrenko, or any of its servicemen, by ISIS.

“All members of the Russian armed forces in Syria are alive, in good health, and performing their duties in combating international terrorism as a part of their units,” the defense ministry stated. “The actions of certain media outlets spreading information from international terrorist groups should be condemned.”

Russian Senator Viktor Ozerov, chairman of the Defense Committee in Russia’s Upper House of Parliament, did not respond with as much certainty.

“Of course, the Ministry of Defense does not disregard any reports that concern our servicemen, especially of such a character,” Ozerov told the Interfax News Agency. “A check will be carried out and its results will be made known.”

“If it happened, then there will be hell to pay,” Ozerov added.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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